Advancing Black Men’s Type 2 Diabetes Healthcare Through Addressing Gender-centered Social Norms, Cognitive Scripts, and Manhood: An Integrated Public Health Approach for Reducing T2D Disparities

ABSTRACT

In the United States, the burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) health complications and outcomes is higher in Black men, and the diabetes disparities are escalating. Previous evidence-based research underscored the need to explore gender-specific experiences of chronic illness in social-cultural, historical, and clinical contexts. Our community-engaged qualitative study focused on learning from the live experiences of Black men (n = 15) in the Arkansas Delta area. Applying a narrative approach, we explored and learned from the participants about their perception of the consequences of T2D on manhood and the usefulness of T2D management instructions. Findings indicate that an integrated public health approach contextualizes social-cultural norms, cognitive scripts, and gender-centered expressions of manhood, a promising direction in T2D healthcare; social support is essential for emotional and physical help in continued T2D management; and connecting with Black men and their insights are vital to develop relevant and appropriate guidelines for T2D management care.

KEYWORDS:

• Diabetes disparities
• black men
• manhood
• community-engagement

Acknowledgments

The National Historically Black College and Universities Health Disparity Program supported the study of Gauri Bhattacharya.

The author (P.I.) is grateful to the study participants for offering their experiences.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.